A Black Rose with Frozen Thorns
by angelofmagic123
Summary: A similar take on Frozen but not. When Shadow was born, he had the power of ice and snow. After an accident, he is bent on the fact that he is a danger to everyone. But when he is called to a special kingdom designed to help children like him, Shadow jumps at the chance to control his "curse". And a princess will help him at all costs. First story. Please review and comment.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The fall air was fresh and crisp. The nightly view of the Aurora borealis was breathtaking. As well as the castle that it hung over. And the ones who resided in it were all asleep. Except for one young prince.

Shadow snickered at the plan he thought to wake up his older brother. Shadow was a black hedgehog with red streaks in his fur and red eyes. At the moment he wore a loose brown shirt that was tucked into darker brown pants. As he made his way across the small room which he and his older brother, Lancelot, shared. He finally found his target. Lancelot was fast asleep in his dark grey bed until he heard his younger twins voice. "Lancelot! Lance!" Shadow crawled onto the bed and sat on top of his brother. "Wake up! Wake up!" He said while shaking and jumping up and down.

"Shadow, go back to sleep. It's too late at night." Lancelot grumbled, but still tried to hide his smile.

"Most people are up this late. Besides it's a special day today. You remember, right?" Shadow asked in a suspicious tone but allowed a smile on his face.

"Mhm. Today is the Fall Festival, Shad." Lancelot mumbled, smiling now. "That was a nice chat. Good night." Then he closed his eyes, hoping his brother would let him go to sleep. He was wrong.

Shadow laid down on his brother and sighed dramatically. "Lance, the sky's awake, so we have to wake up, so we gotta play."

"Go play by yourself." Lancelot shoved Shadow off his bed and he then landed on the floor with a _thud_.

Shadow pouted for a minute then came up with an idea. He smiled and climbed back on the bed and sat back on his brother. He forced opened his eye and asked, "Do you wanna build a snowman?" And that was when Lancelot opened his eyes and smiled.

After a few minutes, Lancelot had gotten out of bed and had put on a dark brown shirt with black pants. Now he was being pulled by an excited and happy Shadow who kept saying "Come on, come on, come on!" while Lancelot kept trying to hush him. Finally they came to the throne room. It was widely opened space and had dark brown pillars. On the wall across from the main door were two grand seats that, often the king and queen themselves would sit upon. But at the moment the two twin brothers were going to have their fun. "Are ya ready, Lance?" Shadow asked his older brother. He smiled and nodded his head. Shadow smiled as well and held out his hands. Then white snowflakes appeared and when it formed into a snow ball he threw it up into the ceiling, where it exploded into millions of other snowflakes. Shadow and Lancelot jumped around and spun until Shadow stopped and told his brother, "Lance! Watch this!" He then touched his foot to the floor which turned to ice. He was able to keep his balance but Lancelot was slipping and falling on his butt and still managed to smile.

They played and laughed in the snow that had started to build into miniature hills. But it would not last as long as they wanted. Lancelot was beginning to tire out and was panting. He sighed, "It was fun Shad, but I think we should head back to bed before we get into trouble." He then started to walk in the direction of the door. But he stumbled a little when he felt a cold, yet firm object hit him then spill down into his shirt. He shivered a bit and then turned around to give his little brother, who was holding a snowball, a playful glare. "Or maybe we could go another round." Then the two twins got into a playful snowball fight. But as they played, neither suspected what was to come.

Shadow was behind a small snow hill and was waiting to ambush his brother with snowballs. He snickered and laughed silently to himself as he was forming snowballs with his powers and was ready to attack. Lancelot was planning on an ambush as well and had a lot of snowballs ready. "Ready or not Shad, here I come!" Lancelot yelled playfully.

"Right back at cha, Lance!" Shadow yelled, getting ready to strike. "Let's settle this with a deal. Whoever wins gets the throne when their older! It'll still be you though…" Shadow mumbled the last sentence. He knew he would never have a chance against his older brother to take the throne. But it was nice to know that his brother would often give him a chance to prove himself worthy once in a while.

"Okay Shad!" Lancelot shouted in a playful manner. "You win! I surrender!" He quietly snuck out of his hiding place and was stalking his way to his little brother. He was going to ambush him and then he could finally end this and get a good night's sleep with a sense of victory in his mind.

"You… you really do surrender?" Shadow couldn't believe it. He and Lancelot would always fight over things. From being first to the breakfast table to getting to bed on time before the maids make them drink some terrible fluid that makes them feel better. Lancelot had sometimes surrendered but always found a way to get what he wants. "You really… mean it?" Shadow asked, still uncertain.

"No." Shadow snapped his head to the left and was met with a snowball to the face. He stumbled back and, by accident, shot a blast of ice to Lancelot. Lancelot had only a moment to react, but it was too late. The ice had made contact with his left arm and froze his hand in a way that made it look as if it was trying to block something. Lancelot fell to the ground and screamed. His hand and arm felt like it was pierced with tiny frozen needles and was increasing as it very slowly spread up his arm. "Ahhh- ahh- AHHH!"

Shadow was watching in horror at what he had done to his brother. He hadn't meant to, he was surprised at the sudden attack and he didn't think of anything else but to defend himself. And he just used what he had been gifted with. But now it was a curse if he could inflict this much damage to a person. "Lance… Lancelot!"

He reached out to try and help his brother, only to have his hand kicked away. Crimson eyes glared with hatred at equally colored eyes that were filled with terror. "Don't touch me…" Lancelot rasped. "Don't ever come near me again you FREAK!" Lancelot screamed at his brother.

Shadow was scared and shocked at his brother. Never had his brother acted so cold to him. Sure he had gotten mad at him, but never enough to where he wouldn't forgive him later. The snow around them started to react to Shadow's emotions. Frost spread from his feet to the rest of the room and found their way from the floor to the ceiling, cascading the room in an icy cavern. The temperature became colder, but neither paid any mind to it. But it increased the pain in Lancelot's hand and arm.

Finally the door was banged on. Once. Twice. Then it flew open, revealing two figures. One was a red hedgehog with light blue eyes. She wore a long white and light purple gown. The other figure was a black hedgehog with red eyes and wore a long black robe with gold linings. Both wore crowns on their heads, representing them to be the rulers. The queen, Ice Spark, immediately went to her older son. The king, Black Doom, glared at his younger son before turning his attention to his other son as he was being cradled by his wife. Black Doom came over to the pair and looked at the arm that was beginning to freeze, then he glared red daggers at the trembling Shadow. "I knew that we should've removed that damn curse when we had a chance." He hissed.

"It wasn't what we expected, Doom." Ice Spark told her husband. "I'm sure Shadow didn't mean it, right sweetie?" She spoke gently while holding her son in her arms.

Shadow wanted to say, _"I really didn't mean to! He surprised me!"_ but instead he said, "I-I got the idea… of ambushing him with snowballs…" He would take any punishment. Whatever it was, he would have it. He deserved it. He deserved to be punished for hurting his brother.

"See Ice," Black Doom said. "he confessed." He turned to his wife who was staring at her youngest son. Her mouth agape and not wanting to believe that her child would harm another being in his entire life. "I know where we need to go."

"Help us! Please!" Ice Spark screamed at the surrounding area, praying for someone to answer. The royal family had rode their horses up to the mountains. Lancelot rode with his father while Shadow rode with his mother. As they stood in the dark mountainside, Shadow couldn't help but look at their surroundings. Rocks were stacked in circles and the clearing they stood in was surrounded by rock except the one way in that they took. Black Doom knew of witches that performed magic in the mountains. All they needed now was for them to show up. "Please!" The queen yelled again. "Please help us! We will give you anything!"

At that, a puff of green smoke arose that rose almost to the mountain tops. When it dissipated, a young brown squirrel stepped out. She had short red hair and had light blue eyes. She wore a long black dress that came off one of her shoulders and had long sleeves that covered almost all of her hands. She smiled and bowed. When she came back up she asked, "To what do I owe the honor of being in the presence of the royal family?"

"My sons." Black Doom said as he pushed held Lancelot in his arms and urged Shadow forward. By now the ice had spread up Lancelot's arm to where his shoulder was. "Can you help?"

"Of course." She lightly placed a hand on Lancelot's arm that made him draw in a breath through his clenched teeth. "Though I cannot unfreeze him, I can make it so it stops and he can move it." A small green light came from her hand then disappeared as quickly.

Once she removed her hand, the ice stopped their movements and Lancelot could feel the ice stop. He experimentally wiggled his little finger, then two, three, then he was gripping it into a fist. Though he could not actually feel anything in his left arm, he was relieved to have some control over it. He looked up at her with bewilderment and astonishment. "How did you-"

"I'm a witch silly." The squirrel smiled. "Now for the other one." She turned to Shadow who was trembling in place. She held her hands out to him and gently took his hands in hers. "Born with the power or cursed?" She asked softly. When Ice Spark was about to speak, she quickly said, "I'm asking the boy." She looked at him with gentleness in her blue eyes. "Born or cursed?" She asked quietly.

Shadow hesitated. Could he really trust this woman with this valuable piece of information on his life? "B-born." Shadow barely whispered.

The witch smiled sadly. "I thought as much." She stood to speak with the entire family. "I cannot remove his powers. They are a part of him. I take that away, then his entire being will be of a mishap. Someone who wasn't supposed to be alive. In other words… he will die without his powers."

The royals looked to each other. Shadow was the first to speak. "B-but… I don't want it. I don't want my powers anymore." He then ran over and fell in front of the witch. He grabbed the hem of her dress and pleaded, "Please remove it! I don't want it anymore! Just take it away!"

The women looked at the crying boy. There were no other options that could remove his powers without killing him. Except… "I may have a solution." Her voice made everyone look to her. She still stared at Shadow, but was not showing any emotion except sadness. "It will not remove your powers, but… it will have you control them, to where you could easily learn to not even use them when you feel like it and you could still have them." She gently rubbed Shadow's head and spoke quietly. "But it would be in a different kingdom. One that has children with special abilities go to learn and be themselves without hurting anyone. Would you like to do that little one?"

Shadow would have said, _"No! I want to be rid of my powers! I don't want to_ control _them!"_ but something in his mind thought against it. So he said, "When do I leave?"


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_Twelve Years Later…_

"What has your breeches in a twist, little brother? Upset that you won't be able to see my wonderful face every morning anymore?"

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same question, Lance."

"I'll bet." Lancelot cast his gaze over to his younger brother. "But, if you're sure you will miss me don't start crying over it and start getting emotional, because then you'll make a bad first impression."

"Hmph." Shadow murmured, staring out the window of the carriage.

The day had finally arrived for Shadow to leave his home in Glacier. Over the years, Shadow has been able to hide his curse beneath heated gloves that were given to him by his mother before his tenth birthday. Although Shadow misses the times when he never had them on in the first place, one look at his brother turned those happy memories into darkness. He had sworn off using the curse, in case he would be summoned. And he was true to his word.

Lancelot had also grown to deal with his frozen arm. Not only can it not melt on even the hottest of summer days, but was a pain in the beginning to cope with. Before his thirteenth birthday, Lancelot spent many hours learning to control his new arm. Many nights would be spent re-learning how to move his arm one way or a finger another until eventually, he had enough control to hold a simple piece of paper without crumpling it. Many years had passed before he could forgive Shadow. Even Lancelot had to admit, it was his own fault his arm was frozen solid, he was the one who triggered Shadow's powers. But even after he confessed to his parents and promised Shadow that he forgave him, his brother still carried the burden of his gift being a curse.

Soon, before Shadow had turned sixteen, he, Lancelot and the kingdom gained a great loss. Their parents had died while traveling overseas to talk about a peace treaty with a nearby kingdom. A storm had grown too powerful and killed all in the process. When they heard news that they had not even made it to port, the kingdom was grief stricken. A funeral was held and everyone went, except Shadow. Even if he wanted to go and pay his respects, it was in his nature to stay away from people. At that time, it seemed as if he and his brother were distanced from each other by grief and hate all over again.

For years they had to work alone, raising a country when so little was taught to them. But eventually the time for the crowning came. Glacier had crowned Lancelot the king when he was twenty one. Frankly, Shadow was relieved that the kingdom was in good hands. He wanted to get control of his curse before he started a kingdom, or even a family. That was something on his mind, as of late. He wondered if he would even be able to have children. Or even find a suitable wife. His brother was already on the hunt for one, so it will soon be his turn to produce an heir to the throne.

The coach came to a sudden halt which almost threw Shadow at his brother, if not for his remarkable reflex's. Shadow stuck his head out the window and yelled, "What's the hold- HOLY MOTHER OF CHAOS!" He looked down to see that he and the coach were several feet above the ground, floating in midair. _What the hell is this?!_ Shadow thought.

"Oi!" A voice came from below. Shadow strained to look at his left to see a figure also floating in midair. He was a hedgehog, and by the looks of it the same age as Shadow or his older brother by two years. He was white and had three quills standing up. Dark amber eyes gazed into Shadow's ruby colored orbs. He had on a green tunic and brown trousers. Black boots with strange glowing designs on them with matching black gloves. "Who are you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I should be the one asking that question!" Shadow yelled. Even if he was startled by this, he wouldn't show it.

"Silver! Put them down!" A voice from below said. Lancelot stuck his head out the other window and saw a purple feline. She was dressed in white shirt and dark brown trousers, some white and red toed heels covered her feet. Her yellow eyes were in a glare at the white hedgehog and seemed to shine brighter with the red ruby in her forehead. "We are supposed to greet the newcomer! Not toss them around like ragdolls!"

The white one, Silver, seemed to blush and stuttered out, "B-but Sonic told me t-to show them what we can do." He took a moment to think about it and blushed a bit more. "Or perhaps he was talking about this evening." The cat shook her head and face- palmed herself. Silver scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Blaze."

"Don't apologize to me Silver," Blaze said, looking up. "but to them."

Silver finally turned to look at Shadow and with an embarrassed, "Sorry." Lowered the carriage down.

Once back on the ground, Shadow jumped out and was about to pummel the hedgehog, when he was jumped by an unknown force. "Welcome home, Prince Shadow!" A high voice squealed in delight.

"Get off of me, you little-" Shadow was about to yell at whoever it was, when he caught sight of who had jumped him.

It was a girl. Or should he say, a _woman_. She was a hedgehog, her fur was the color of pink roses and her eyes, the color of spring grass, her hair was shoulder length and looked smooth to the touch. His gaze rebelliously looked down at her clothes. Her top was white and baggy. Her pants were brown and had a darker brown belt at her small waist. She smiled and said, "My name's Amelia Rose." She stood and bowed a little. "Princess of Flora. But I prefer Amy, Your Grace."

He snapped out of his thoughts when his brother came to view and bowed and lifted Amy's hand and laid a kiss. Straitening up he said in his regal and polite voice, "Your Grace, it is an honor to meet you." He gave a bow and said, "I am King Lancelot of Glacier and," He gestured toward Shadow as he got up. "this is my brother, Prince Shadow."

"We know who he is, Your Majesty." Blaze said. She stood behind Amy with Silver next to her. Blaze was glaring at them while Silver looked anywhere else other than them. He seemed too embarrassed by what had just happened. "We were given information about him coming twelve years ago."

"What?!" Shadow exclaimed. He was told that he would leave to this kingdom last week! "How did you know about this for that long?! Who told you?!" He roared at Amy and got in her face.

Amy seemed… calm. Amused, even. _How dare she!_ Shadow thought. How could she be amused at his panicked state of mind? He did not want news of his curse to be spread. She smiled as if holding a secret. "A little mountain witch told me you would come one day." She leaned in close until their noses were almost touching. Her scent was that of… strawberries? Shadow loved strawberries. "And we have been waiting for you since."

She had been waiting… for him? Shadow backed up a little and blinked at those words. Why would she be waiting for someone like him? She must have other things to have done. "Amy." Silver interrupted them cautiously. He looked between them and told Amy in a small voice, "We have a tight schedule. I think it's best if we get moving if we want to make it in time."

Amy nodded in understanding. She motioned for the driver who was an older raccoon. He had been looking on the edge of the woods. The horses that were pulling the carriage had gotten spooked and ran off. "My friends and I would like to apologize about the horses. I will make sure my guards will retrieve them tonight so they will be ready to leave by tomorrow morning and we will also like if you stay and enjoy the festivities that we have planned." _She is willing to do all that and offer an invitation to our driver?_ Shadow thought.

The raccoon seemed to blush and nod. "Thank you, Your Grace. And I would love to be part of the festivities, but probably with the other locals." _Of course he would accept._

"Of course. Whatever makes you feel better, sir." Amy smiled sweetly. She looked over to Silver and Blaze. "Will you two be so kind as to pull the cart?"

"I-I should really do it myself." Silver interjected as he walked toward the carriage. "I am the one who startled the horses and lifted the carriage and traumatized-"

He was cut off when Blaze said, "We all know you can't lift something as heavy as that and _not_ use your powers to help you." She grabbed the left shaft and lifted, waiting for Silver.

"Blaze, are you saying I'm not strong on my own?" Silver asked with a raised eyebrow, lifting the right shaft. Blaze looked at him with a leveled stare. Silver started walking and gulped. "Let's get moving."

The gates to Flora were astounding. A large brown wood with shining black metal binding. The white walls were almost seventy or eighty feet high. Above the gate in red letters were _Nos qui Sumus._ Shadow translated that to: _We Are Who We Are._ Which really spoke to him. The country was not afraid to be themselves whereas Shadow was terrified by what others would see of him. After taking a breath he looked at the gate and was able to make out two figures who seemed to be arguing.

One was shirtless, only wearing brown trousers. He appeared to not be wearing shoes which Shadow found odd. Upon closer inspection, Shadow saw that he was a red echidna. He had a strange white crest on his chest and dreadlocks that reached his shoulders. His eyes were a striking violet color but seemed to be looking at something past his friend.

The other was a hedgehog. Blue color and rugged hair, as if he had been running recently. His quills looked fairly neat, facing down but still sticking up. His eyes were similar to Amy's but a shade darker than hers. He, unlike his partner, was actually fully clothed. He wore a regal looking black shirt and matching pants, the only color that actually popped was his shoes. They were red with a white stripe.

When they got into a clearer viewing point, Amy ran toward them at what Shadow expected was her full speed. She then tackled them both to the ground in a bear hug saying in a joyful tone, "Knuckles! Sonic!"

"Amy!" The two laughed which then turned into a scream when she almost choked them. "Amy, get off!" one yelled, probably the echidna. "Amy! We can't breathe!" The other yelled in her ear, most likely the hedgehog.

Amy immediately got off and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry guys. You know I have trouble controlling my strength."

"Well maybe you shouldn't go around trying to choke people!" The echidna yelled at her. Amy only gave a shrug.

"Hey, be nice, Knux." The hedgehog said as he stood and brushed the dirt off of his suit.

"Be nice, my ass!" The echidna- Shadow guessed to be Knuckles by the nickname- yelled at the blue one. He got up and glared at Amy who and stood in front of him. "Sonic, you know that-" The hedgehog- Sonic- pulled at Knuckles' face so that he was looking directly at him. "Thank you. – that Amy gives the strongest death hugs in the kingdom!"

"True, but don't be mean about it." Sonic said. He smiled at Amy and said, "It just means that she cares about the person she hugs."

"Yep!" Amy agreed. She then gestured to the new mobians who were watching the scene before them. "I brought the last of our new family members."

"Sweet!" It was so quick, but Shadow found himself almost nose to nose with Sonic. "May I be the first to welcome you to our fair country of Flora and welcome you to our program for gifted children!" Before Shadow could ask what he meant, Sonic backed up and bowed deeply. "My name is Prince Sonic of Windfall." He gestured to Knuckles who was focused on the ground. "And that is Knuckles of Angel Island. He isn't a prince but he has the attitude of a spoiled one."

"Shut up Sonic!" Knuckles yelled at the ground. His fists clenched and unclenched. He almost looked ready to fight.

"What? I'm just messing around." Sonic put his hands up in a surrendered gesture.

Knuckles threatened, "Well you keep messing around, then I'm gonna-"

"Boys!" Blaze yelled. She looked ready to claw their eyes out almost. Silver looked ready to pass out on the ground. "If you have not noticed, me and Silver are carrying a very large carriage and we wish to set it down and go looking for the horses to it. So if you would please be so kind as to open the gates, we would like to rest our arms!"

Sonic looked at Knuckles who was looking straight ahead of him. They both shrugged went to the gate. They lightly pushed and the great gates opened to the kingdom. When they looked back to see the group, Knuckles said to the ground, "Enjoy your stay at Flora."

As the group walked past, Shadow whispered to Amy, "What is wrong with the echidna. He did not make any eye contact with us."

Amy ignored the question and said to Blaze and Silver, "I will show Shadow and Lancelot to their quarters. Then we will have an hour to get in some proper formal wear for tonight."

"We will meet you up by then." Silver yelled back as they went to put away the carriage.

Amy turned to look at the driver. "If you want, you can go to the village and get situated at the Black Jack Inn before going to downtown. Just tell them Princess Amelia sent you." The driver nodded then headed to the village. Amy turned to the brothers. "Follow me to the castle and your quarters."

As they walked through the town, Shadow whispered to Lancelot, "This place is very big." It was true. The entire village looked alive with life. People bustled and ran about going from one destination to the other. It was a little overwhelming for Shadow who was not so used to being around other people.

"Indeed." Lancelot agreed, looking around as well. "And you will live here." Lancelot gazed at Shadow. "Do you not like this place already?"

"No, no. It's just very…" Shadow trailed off to watch some children. They looked like they were playing a game with some rope. His gaze was quickly distracted by the people who were walking in front of him or behind him or beside him. Shadow seemed to shrink and unconsciously step closer to Lancelot. "Busy. Busy is the word."

"Well we are holding something special for tonight." Amy interjected, looking over her shoulder to look at the two.

"What is it anyway?" Lancelot asked, lightly pushing Shadow who was still looking around worriedly. "You and your friends keep saying that there would be something going on tonight."

"It's just something that we do for our newcomers." Amy waved them off as they approached the castle. The castle was huge. The light blue was a stark contrast to the dark brown bordering. The windows were clear and looked recently washed, in fact the entire castle looked like it was cleaned up. The only other color Shadow could see was in the royal crest hanging over the door. It was a red rose surrounded by a circle of green vines with thorns on them. It suited the kingdom. It was beautiful but Shadow sensed that it's beauty covered a dangerous secret. One maybe in time, he will know.

Once they entered through the doors Shadow was amazed. Light brown walls with small red designs sketched into it. The drapes for the windows were a darker red color with a similar gold design, just like the walls. The great hall had polished wood floors that reflected Shadow's image as they walked. The arch in the center of the room made it more spacious along with the grand chandelier which was not lit, seeing as how light still shined through the windows. At the end of the room was two grand thrones. One was larger than the other, which Shadow assumed was for the king and the other for the queen.

The three went through an arch that lead to a long hallway. It was decorated almost like the great hall. Where there are windows, dark red curtains dress them. The walls are the same light brown and swirling red design, but occasionally held a picture. Shadow looked to his left and caught sight of a painting. It was of a family, by the looks of it the king, queen and their children, a boy and a girl.

The king was a red hedgehog with green eyes. The king wore black clothing with gold accents and a red cape. Different medals adorned his chest to show his years of ruling. His gold crown had what appeared to be decorated with amethysts, rubies and emeralds. He had a kind look to him as if he could put a smile on anyone's face. _Charming,_ Shadow thought.

The queen was a light blue hedgehog with violet eyes. She wore a purple gown with red over skirts, darker than the kings. Her crown was more of strings of black pearls with the occasional ruby and emerald. A single, gold teardrop was at the center of her forehead, hanging low from the weight. She had the equal match of kindness as the king had looked. _Elegant,_ is what Shadow thought.

The young boy was red, just like his father. But his eyes looked a shade lighter than the king's. The boy wore a black suit, just like his father but without the medals and the cape. His crown was pure gold and small compared to his father's. His smile was wide and bright as if he was the most happiest child on the planet. _Playful,_ Shadow categorized the child with a smile of his own.

The girl was a light shade of blue like her mother but the darker color eyes of her father. She had a matching gown like her mother, except her tiara was of silver with a ruby in the center. She stood tall and held her head high as she gazed at Shadow, hidden intelligence within her green depths. _Refined_, Shadow inspected.

"Those are my grandparents." Amy said from behind him. Shadow looked at her. She was gazing at the family with a smile on her face. She pointed to the king and queen. "That is King Damien and Queen Elizabeth." She pointed to the young prince and said, "The little boy is my father. At the time when the painting was made, he was called Prince Thorn." She turned to the young princess and her smile faltered, sadness creeping into her eyes. "My aunt, Princess Jesebel, died when I was a little girl, so I never really knew her." She smiled even as a small tear fell from her eye and slid to her cheek. "I remember that she smelled like books and flowers. Papa said that she loved to read in the gardens. My uncle claims that she would always be found by the fountains, sitting on the bench and reading a book to Sonic, while he watched the fish swim."

"Wait, Sonic?" Lancelot asked standing next to Amy. "The blue hedgehog we met at the gate? He is your cousin?"

"Yes. He is. My aunt married my uncle when she was fifteen and he was nineteen. They both waited until my aunt was eighteen before starting on having a baby." She nodded, her gaze still on the princess. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tear that had slipped away as she looked at the two boys in front of her. "I understand that it is harder for him. He had a deep relationship with her back when he was a boy." She looked up at the family once more before she closed her eyes, smiled and nodded, then turned to leave. When the boys followed, she continued. "After she died, Sonic refused to go in water or even anywhere near water."

"Why water?" Shadow asked.

Amy turned to look at him. "She drowned in a lake when she tried to save Sonic from when he was drowning." She looked back and said, "Sonic had convinced his mother to go fishing with him. When the fish Sonic caught was too big, he fell in and almost drowned. His mother jumped after him and was able to get him out, but her skirts got caught on the lakebed and kept her under. Sonic blamed himself for many years, but he grew to accept the loss. He still refuses to go in water though, which we all try to help him get over." She came to a stop at one of the doors that they passed. "This is your sleeping quarters. You should find your belongings in there. If you need anything, ring the bell and a maid will be with you shortly. Please be dressed in formal evening wear and come to the great hall by seven." With that she left the twins.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Shadow was expecting a lavished room. Useless ornaments in a bedroom such as chair and a mini library or three to five dressers and maybe two desks for one person. That was how most rooms were in the castle of Glacier, which he and Lancelot desperately try to change. But it was nothing like this.

The room was a simple floor plan. Almost like a square box but with a few different corners, here and there. There were two beds, both dressed in white sheets and blue trimming. There were three pillows on each of them. Two, almost white, pink colored nightstands right next to them. A candle and a small gold bell on each. The floor was in a soft cream colored carpet. The large triangular window looked out over the gardens. The sitting area beneath it had only one blue pillow on each end. One grandfather clock was sitting on one side, next to the window. One dresser with a mirror on each side near the beds.

Shadow was speechless. This was almost exactly what he envisioned in a bedroom. Simple, peaceful, not crowded and had the usual necessities. Shadow felt a child when he ran and jumped onto the bed to his right and laughed. It was soft and warm. Shadow breathed deep and smelled the scent of fresh air. He laid on his back and closed his eyes. He heard Lancelot chuckle from wherever he was. Opening one eye and gazing at him with a small smile, Shadow asked, "What?"

"Nothing." Lancelot said. "It is just refreshing to see you like this." He smiled at Shadow as he sat on the bed across from his. He watched Shadow for a moment before saying, "I haven't seen you like this since we were kids."

Shadow's smile fell and he laid his head back with a sigh. He stared at the ceiling, which was angled in a way to match the triangle shape of the window. "Please don't talk about the past." Shadow was never good with talking about the past, before he decided to control his powers. "What matters now is what happens next." Shadow simply stated.

He heard Lancelot sigh. When he looked at him, he seemed troubled. Like he didn't know what to say. Shadow didn't blame him. Being in the carriage and the small tour together was a total of twelve hours, longer than the usual twenty minutes they have together at the dining table or in their usual one hour meetings. "It's just that I-" A knock sounded on the door causing them both to sit up and stare at the door. Lancelot stood and said, "Come in." The door opened to reveal two creatures.

The first was a yellow colored fox. He had bright blue eyes and a kind smile on his face. He was dressed in a butlers uniform. A white undershirt and black jacket with matching pants and shoes. The only thing on him that caught Shadow's attention was his tail. Or should he say tails. He had two tails following behind him, which were the same yellow with a white tip.

The second was a cream colored rabbit. She had chocolate brown eyes and long ears that reached her waist. Her attire was of the female staff. A black dress with a white apron at the waist and small black and white bows at her ears. Her shoes were black and had some white laces on them. Shadow thought it looked too mature for a girl her age, which Shadow assumed to be fifteen or sixteen.

The pair bowed. When they both came up the fox greeted, "Good afternoon, king and prince of Glacier. My name is Miles Prower, but if you would like, please call me Tails." He gestured to the rabbit standing next to him. "My friend here is Cream."

"It is nice to meet you, Your Highness'." She said politely.

Tails looked to Lancelot and asked, "With the king's permission, we would like to please examine your brother, the prince."

"What kind of examination?" Shadow asked while he stood up.

"Nothing much, Your Highness." Cream reassured. "Just a simple physical test to see if you are healthy in body and a mind reading to see if you are alright in the head."

She said it as if it were no big deal, but the twins were shocked. Shadow already knew he was strong. He worked out almost every single day. But… _mind reading?!_ Shadow never imagined someone could do that. But now he was somewhere where apparently they can and maybe will do. And even if they did, he would not want anyone to look into his mind. He wanted to keep his thoughts to himself and only himself. "I will agree to a physical test, but no on the mind reading."

"Are you sure, Your Highness?" Cream asked again. "It is more of questions that I ask and you say you're answers in your head. I will not share any of it with anyone else unless you want me to." She looked to Tails and Lancelot and asked Shadow, "You may even ask that the others leave the room, if you like."

Shadow considered this. He was skeptical and suspicious of her motives. _It might be good to get things off your chest and mind._ A voice whispered.

"How about you think of me as a therapist?" Cream persisted. "You may share what you want and in time maybe other thoughts you didn't want to share."

Shadow weighed the pros and the cons. There were few cons, such as scaring the poor girl and a good amount of pros, like finally being able to get things off his chest. _You need this._ That damn voice whispered.

Finally, Shadow said, "I want the physical test first, then the reading."

The two nodded in understanding. Tails grabbed something from the hallway and came back. His small white bag with a red plus stitched into it held the medical tools he needed. He said to Shadow, "We better hurry for tonight." He opened the bag and took out a measuring tape. "Stand up tall for me."

Shadow obeyed and stood up as tall as he could, straightening his back. While Tails held the top of the measuring tape and Cream held the bottom of it to the ground, Lancelot asked, "What is happening tonight that has everyone so worked up?" He leaned against the bed post and watched in slight amusement.

"Six foot two." Tails told Cream who then nodded and wrote the number down on a board. "It is something we do for the new people who come to us." He took out a wooden stick that was no bigger than Shadow's palm. "Open your mouth."

Shadow did as instructed. Lancelot continued, trying to hold in his laughter at the small boy who was smaller and younger than his adult brother. "Everyone says that, but it seems a bit extreme that the entire kingdom is celebrating for one person coming to your kingdom."

"Actually, there is another person who arrived a few hours before you two." Tails took out the wooden stick and held a thumbs up to Cream. She nodded and wrote down some more on the board. "You will meet her at the party." Tails told them looking in the bag once again.

"She comes from the kingdom of Shire." Cream explained to them. "The mountainous region that most Mobius' jewels come from."

"We have heard of it." Shadow said. He watched the boy look into the kit and asked the question, "Where are you two from?"

Tails and Cream shared a look then the two smiled. Tails said, "My mother was from Glacier but my father insisted they live in Shire." He looked back to the bag and rummaged through it for something again. "He was a miner and my mother was a seamstress." He pulled out a tool with what looked like a large disk connected to a tube with a smaller disk to it. "I have the ability to heal people of injuries and even bring them to life."

"Extraordinary." Lancelot said.

"My mother and I are from here in Flora." Cream said with a smile. "I don't know who my father is. Mother said that he left when he had heard that she was pregnant with me." She looked away for a moment then went back to smile. "But me and mother are doing well. She is the head cook and head maid of the castle, while I am a maid and cook." She smiled at Shadow and said, "I have the ability of telepathy. I am able to read and talk with my mind. It can help and other times it will hurt one person or another."

Shadow nodded in understanding. He was well aware that his powers could cause both good and evil. His gaze went to Lancelot's arm. Lancelot liked to cover it up just like Shadow liked to wear his gloves to cover his hands. Even though Lancelot had forgiven him earlier in their life, he was still ashamed of his defective arm. Shadow averted his gaze before he felt the emotions he knew he should feel.

Cream seemed to notice his uneasiness. She spoke, "Tails. How about you and King Lancelot leave to the hallway. I would like to get to his reading, please." She set a hand on Tails' shoulder and stared into his eyes. They seemed to be having a conversation by the looks it. Tails nodded and packed his equipment in his bag. "Shadow would you like your brother to be in here for your first session?" Cream asked him quietly and gently. She seemed to almost be speaking to a child.

Shadow looked to his brother. Lancelot was already staring at his twin. They seemed to have an understanding, something that Shadow thought had been lost after the incident that led Shadow here. Lancelot nodded and turned to Tails. "Can you please tell me what kind of training will happen while my brother is here?"

"Of course." Tails said. He understood that Shadow wanted to be alone for his first session, which most did not do now a days. "Let's step outside."

Lancelot only looked back once. He gave a small smile, then closed the door right after him. Shadow looked at Cream who was already staring at him. "Well?" He asked. "What do you ask in one of these… tests?"

"You and your brother don't get along." Cream stated.

Shadow stared back. It was noticeable to her. Shadow nodded as he looked at his hands. "We haven't gotten along after…" Shadow looked at his hands again. Once a beautiful gift, now a nasty curse.

Cream stared at him for a moment. _It was because of the incident when you and your brother were nine and eleven?_ A voice, Cream's voice, asked in his head.

He looked up in shock. She knew about what happened and she was true to her tale of telepathy. She knew about what had happened to cause a gap between his brother and him. He then looked away. He thought, _Yes._

_There is no need to be ashamed. I had heard that it was an accident._ Cream thought as she walked over to the dresser next to Shadow's bed. She pulled out a crisp black shirt with gold trimming and said, "Let me help you with your evening attire."

Numbly Shadow got up and removed his shirt. "It was my fault. I was the one to suggest the fight. I was the one with the powers and I was the one to use them against my brother." Shadow stared at the door that Lancelot had exited. _So it was my fault. It was _all_ my fault._ Shadow thought.

As Cream helped Shadow into his shirt and buttoned it she thought, _Did you use them on purpose?_ Shadow stared at Cream. He would never use his powers against his brother. Or even want to fight against him at all. It was not that he was afraid, he wasn't, he just had a high respect for him and knew what his brother was capable of. When their parents had just died, a declaration was made for war against another kingdom. When Shadow and Lancelot went to battle, Shadow found that Lancelot's left arm was stronger than the average. His powers had given Lancelot strength in his arm. But he still was burdened by the fact of what had happened to him. _Then if you did not use them on purpose, then it is not your fault. _Cream stated, finishing the buttons on his shirt.

Shadow took this into account. He _was_ blinded by a snowball that Lancelot threw, which must have triggered his powers._ Still, _Shadow thought. _I used my powers against him. Even if it was unintentional, I still hurt him to a degree where he can't feel a thing in his arm._

Cream stared at Shadow for a moment before looking at the grandfather clock. "We have about twenty minutes before we have to go to the great hall."

Shadow looked. It was a little over half past six. "How long did we talk?" Shadow mumbled to himself.

"Not too long." Cream stated, handing him some black pants and a dark colored belt. "But we will discuss more after tomorrow." Once he had them in his hands, she turned around and looked at the wall.

"Why?" Shadow asked, taking off his pants and quickly putting on his new ones.

"Because, you may want to talk after your first day here." Cream said as she turned back around. She took up the clothes he had just taken off and walked to the door, but she stopped before it and thought to him, _Be patient with us. Your brother will be here for the first week and he is required to come three times a month, so you are not alone. Most of the people who come here are left by their family, but your brother would never abandon you. I know because I heard him._ With that she left.

Shadow hated parties. They were too crowded, too noisy, and overall exhausting. But this one was calmer. More open and well organized.

Many folks from all across the land seemed to be here. He recognized some of the kingdoms, based on their crests, which everyone was required to wear. Glacier's crest was a single snowflake, which Shadow found appropriate for him. He saw the kingdom of Vulcan's crest. A large, black volcano with a red flame at the center. Most of the lands coal came from there because of the barrier of volcanoes. Windfall's crest was fitting for their military might. A tornado was a sign of its power to be there one second, destroying its enemies, then off to a new enemy to destroy. Angel Island's crest was just a large diamond shaped island, the upper half was gold while the lower was onyx. It was known everywhere for its locals who praised Chaos by offering it gold and silk and was said to be blessed to have its island migrate by the heavens. The kingdom of Estelle's crest was more complicated. Their swords over the heart crest symbolized that they were a force to be reckoned with. Their kingdom was full of the best blacksmith's in Mobius. The kingdom of Shire had a simple crest, much like Glacier's. A group of three crystals was the mark of the mountains that surrounded them filled with precious jewels.

Shadow looked around and saw a few familiar faces. The queen of Shire, Isabella, was present, along with her daughter, who Shadow could never really remember the name of since she was so shy. The king, Shard, and queen, Hera, of Vulcan were present. Shadow was able to make out the chief, he believed was called Titan, of Angel Island with two escorts. Estelle's King, Jerod, was talking with four unknown males who were also of Estelle. Windfall's king, Liam, was speaking to a few unknown characters of Shire.

_So many royal families._ Shadow thought. "How are you holding up?" A voice asked.

Shadow looked over to his left to see Amy. She was dressed in a light pink ball gown. Her hair was wavy and her neck had a black lace choker with a rose on it. She held out a champagne glass to him. He decided quickly that he needed a drink to help him get through tonight. He nodded in thanks and was able to finish the champagne in no time. He heard a giggle and saw Amy smiling while drinking her glass slowly. Shadow scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry." He apologized, heat coming into his cheeks. "I am not used to attending parties."

"Do not apologize." Amy waved him off with a smile. "Many of us get nervous. Hell, Silver was so nervous the first time attending one of our parties that he stuck to Blaze wherever she went." She stifled a laugh. "But Blaze didn't mind spending her time dancing with Silver. She didn't stop talking about it for a week."

"Are those two lovers?" He asked quietly.

"No, but they both _really_ like each other and are too shy to admit it." Amy whispered back to him. "Many of the people here are fond of each other and are not afraid to show it, such as Sonic and Angel."

"Sonic and who?" Shadow asked, setting his empty glass on a nearby table.

Amy nodded to two figures across the room. Sure enough there was Sonic, still dressed in the same attire as when he met him. It was hard to believe that he was a prince of Windfall and the cousin of the calm woman standing next to Shadow. How had he not noticed before?

Standing next to Sonic was a young woman. She was a white cat with short black hair and deep blue eyes. She was dressed in a white dress shirt and light brown pants. Her short black heels made her eye level with the hedgehog who was currently pulling her long tail while whispering in her ear.

The feline blushed at a comment Sonic made and playfully hit him whilst laughing. "Her name is Angel." Amy stated, finishing off her glass and placing next to Shadow's. "She was actually from Estelle. Her uncles raised her after her parents left to the mountains and died on their journey."

"So those are the men who are talking to the king of their country?" Shadow referred to the group as one of the men cracked a joke which caused them all to bend over in laughter. Jerod was a grey bat with aqua colored eyes. He wore a light blue shirt and white pants and popping red colored boots.

"Yes. Rouge will be happy to see her father. She was always a daddy's girl." She smiled and shook her head.

"Rouge?" Shadow asked with a raised eyebrow. He heard of her but that was before his brother was crowned. It was said that she had ran away or was dead. Shadow never met the girl, but he had heard of her before.

"Next to Knuckles." She nodded.

Shadow had found them quickly. How could you not notice the voluptuous, ivory bat with blue eyes boldly flirting with a nervous red echidna? She was dressed in a flowing deep maroon dress and short black heels. Her belt was also black and crooked, emphasizing her curves.

Knuckles was looking more and more uncomfortable. He was indeed dressed but not as before. He was dressed in a shawl of some sorts which exposed his chest. His light brown pants looked made from animal skin and matching moccasins adorned his feet.

"They have a complicated relationship." Amy said. "One minute they can't stand each other, the next they are found in the library, doing something that should not be discussed in a room full of other people."

Shadow blushed a bit and stared at Amy, then looked at the pair. Rouge seemed to be playing with one of Knuckles' dreadlocks. He tried to pull away but Rouge whispered something to him to cause him to stop stone cold. He must have asked something because Rouge nodded and continued to play with his dreadlock, all while Knuckles' fur got a brighter color and a faint smile appeared on his lips. Shadow looked back at Amy and asked, "Anything else?"

Amy thought for a moment and nodded to the folks of Shire. They both were foxes. One was a light blue fox with grey eyes. She had on a white dress shirt and a long brown skirt. Shadow was able to make out a pair of dark green boots. The other was a light brown fox with blue eyes. He wore a dress shirt and dark brown pants and black boots. "Those two are Tails' parents. Vanilla should be in the kitchen right about now. Tails and Cream have an opportunity to be a couple, but Tails is too caught up in his work and Cream hasn't made it aware that she wants to be in a relationship."

King Liam was smiling at a tale that Tails' father was telling. He was a light blue hedgehog with violet eyes. He wore a white shirt and black pants and matching boots. He laughed when Tails' father came to a specific part that he patted the man on the back, while Tails' mother smiled and laughed along.

"Why is the queen and princess of Shire here tonight?" Shadow asked. He was curious because his brother had just walked up to them and made a conversation with Isabella. The older twin was wearing a black dress shirt and white pants with black lining. His black boots looked polished and shined in the dim light since the chandelier was not lit.

Isabella was a light blue colored hedgehog with golden colored eyes. She was wearing a light blue ball gown that was decorated with too many sapphires. Her emerald colored shoes peeking from the bottom. She smiled tightly. Isabella then brought out a fan that covered most of her face besides her sharp eyes and then urged her daughter in front of her.

The princess was a frail thing. She was a deep violet color and had matching colored eyes as her mother. She wore a tight looking light purple gown with black, elbow length gloves and black heels. Her hair was already short, Shadow remembered once seeing her shoulder length hair at a dinner party his brother threw in hopes of uniting the kingdoms, but now it was tightly pulled back and ended in a wavy pony tail.

The princess fell into Lancelot's arms and she seemed to blush. It seemed to make her freeze up when her mother gushed and smiled behind her fan. Isabella was obviously trying to play match maker. It was the same story as any other mother had done to Lancelot and their poor daughters. Sure, she was a queen and her daughter was already probably having eligible suitors at her door, but she would want her princess to marry a king and gain the title of a pampered queen.

Amy gave a secretive smile. "Queen Isabella and Princess Emily are here because they were invited." She looked to Shadow. "Just like you."

Shadow's eyes widened and he turned to Amy. When Shadow was about to speak, trumpets sounded, signaling the attention to the front. The king of Flora was standing there. The same young hedgehog in the painting he saw earlier, now as an older adult. He wore a black dress shirt and matching pants and shoes. The only other color was his red fur and his medals that he had gained over the years. Thorn's green eyes scanned the room of faces and found Amy. She smiled and nodded to him before walking up to the front. "Showtime."

As Amy went to the front, Thorn went to the introductions. "Friends!" His voice boomed in the great hall. "Welcome… to my kingdom's One Hundredth Anniversary!" _So, that's what everyone was celebrating about._ Shadow thought, crossing his arms over his chest and looked around for his brother. He was able to spot Lancelot as he was walking towards him. Isabella seemed to be begging Emily to follow him, but she stayed silent and watched the king. With a huff, Isabella looked at the king with irritation. Shadow only gave a slight smile and returned his attention to the king as well. "My grandfather was an outcast among his people." Thorn boomed. "He was often confused as to why Chaos had given him his abilities when he was born. He even went so far as to say he was cursed!"

"Sound familiar?" Lancelot whispered to Shadow as he also crossed his arms. Shadow knew what his brother was implying. Whenever the subject was mentioned, Shadow had said that his powers were a curse instead of a gift.

"Shut up." Mumbled Shadow as he watched the king speak.

"When my grandfather finally left his village," Thorn said. "he was met by many foes, many challenges, and many losses. By his age of thirty six, he had found people like him. People who were blessed at birth. As they grew together, they met more people and more people until they couldn't move to any other places anymore!" Thorn had a wide smile on his face. He looked to Amy who was watching from the sidelines. He stretched his hand out to her and she grabbed it and walked to stand next to him. As Thorn gazed at his daughter with love in his eyes he said, "My grandfather built a town, that town turned into a city, which turned into a kingdom, where everyone had powers and no one was alone. When he was crowned the king at fifty seven and my father was born, he made the motto:_ Nos qui Sumus,_ We Are Who We Are." Thorn looked out to the crowd and said, "My kingdom is not afraid to be themselves! Everyone has the right to be who they are and we will not change that! We are who Chaos made us to be! And we are proud of what we were blessed with!"

The room erupted into cheers and everyone did a double take when they realized that the kingdom had heard him and was agreeing to the king. They are who they are. _And you can be too, if you believe you can be._ Cream's voice echoed inside Shadow's head. When Shadow looked around, he found Cream staring at him. She was dressed as she was before and was still with Tails who was cheering for the king.

The king raised his hands in the air to silence the room. When everyone calmed down, he said in a calmer voice, "Tonight we also celebrate my kingdom's program." He looked to Amy who was smiling at the crowd. When she focused her attention on her father, Thorn said to her, "Amelia, my dear, if you would please."

Amy smiled and walked to the edge of the stage. She scanned the room, taking in all the faces. When her eyes connected with Shadow's she smiled at him. She raised her arms in the air and held them there. It seemed like an eternity that she didn't move. No one spoke, no one moved, it seemed that no one even breathed.

Her right hand flicked upward and immediately followed, a line of fire. It was from one corner of the room and was aimed at the chandelier. Everyone jumped back in fear. When Shadow put his hand over his eyes to see what had happened, he was met by Blaze. She was dressed in a white blouse, light brown pants, red boots and on fire. From head to toe, she was lit in the orange and red flames, her jewel in her forehead glowed white, but she was surprisingly calm, her face was not bothered as she bathed the chandelier in fire. When Shadow looked to the chandelier, he found that it was red and looked perfectly fine, no sign that the chandelier was about to fall. Shadow looked back at Blaze right as she stopped. It took Shadow a second to get used to the sudden brightness. She had somehow, just… turned off the flames on her. She looked… normal now, as if nothing happened. Shadow looked to the chandelier once again and found that it was lit and looked as if it had been the whole time. Blaze turned to the stage and walked right up the stairs and stood by Amy's side.

Amy flicked her hand again and the ground shook. Shadow balanced himself and looked to find Knuckles, completely calm and focused on the ground underneath him. When someone yelped, Shadow turned around was met by a pillar forming from the ground. He fell back and watched as it reached the ceiling and stayed in place. But Shadow also saw Angel walk up to it as if it was a normal piece of stone and wrapped her tail around it. When Shadow first looked at her, he thought her tail was about a foot and a half long. But when she wrapped it around the pillar, it extended before his eyes to an estimated length of twenty feet, from the base to the ceiling. Once it was wrapped, Angel seemed to squeeze the pillar fiercely but not enough to break it. Shadow did think he heard a crack of stone. When she pulled away, a snake like dent was around the pillar. Angel looked down at Shadow and smiled and gave a small wave to him. She quickly went to another pillar that was created and did the same thing. Shadow looked back at the pillar and saw a blur of purple and white before his eyes. They circled the pillar and then went to the next. Shadow saw for a split second, what appeared to be Rouge.

When Shadow turned to the pillar, it was obvious what they had done. They had decorated the pillar. The lines that Angel had made were actually vines. The things Rouge had accented them with were small designs of flowers and thorns. Shadow got up to look around the room. As he had admired the pillar before him, the three mobian's had made exact pillars around the room. Four were on each side, supporting the ceiling above the guests. He looked to the stage and saw something else that took his breath away. Amy was lifted of the ground and Silver was glowing, concentrated on keeping Amy up and safe. He wore a white dress shirt and grey pants with the same boots and gloves as before.

Amy's hand's glowed against her chest. Sonic was right underneath her in almost the same position, only Sonic didn't glow and he looked as if he was caught in the middle of a small tornado. When Amy finally reached her hands out, flower petals sprung from her hands and glided gently to Sonic. Sonic had reached his hands out at the same time as Amy had, but a gentle wind raced from his hands and rushed towards the petals. When the petals caught the wind, they flowed around the room and some even went out the windows to the crowd below. When Sonic and Amy stopped what they were doing, so did the wind and petals stop. The wind stopped and the petals danced to the ground and some even landed on people's heads or in some waiting hands.

Shadow held out his hand and caught and petal. He stared at the flower part. It was red in color and soft to the touch with a heart shape. Shadow closed his eyes and inhaled the scent. He caught the smell of the flames Blaze had lit, a little bit of dirt Knuckles had protruded and…

"Roses." Shadow looked to Lancelot who had also caught a petal. He smiled at it and turned to Shadow. "Rose petals."

Shadow smiled again. He looked to the stage where Amy now stood. To her right was Blaze, Knuckles, Tails and Cream. To her left was Silver, Angel, Sonic and Rouge. She looked to the crowd and smiled pleasantly. "My friends." Her angelic voice caught the attention of the crowd, who were still recovering from the redecorating that they had done. "At the kingdom of Flora, we have a program: Chaos Control. We train mobian's, royal or not, who have come not knowing how to control their powers or why they have gained them in the first place. I personally help these people understand their power and help them see that they _can_ be in control, they _can_ use their powers for good, they _can_ live with their powers and not hurt anyone." Amy looked at Shadow. He was more drawn to the words Amy was speaking. She was going to help him. He was going to be in control for the first time in forever.

"We welcome everyone. Royal or common, big or small, and any shape." She continued as she looked at the crowd again. "Tonight we welcome two new members to our family." She scanned the crowd for Shadow and whoever the other new member was. "Could Prince Shadow of Glacier and Princess Emily of Shire come to the front, please?"

"You're up, brother." Lancelot whispered and lightly patted him on the back.

Shadow looked to Emily who was being pushed to the front by Isabella. Shadow looked to the stage and took a calming deep breath. He swiftly made to the front, below the stage steps. Right as he had moved his way to stand in front of Amy, Emily was shoved to the front and almost fell if it weren't for Shadow's reflex's and was able to catch her. She looked at him with her golden eyes. Shadow was able to see the mix of fear and uncertainty in them. When he set her on her feet he whispered assumingly, "We are going to be fine."

Emily's tense body relaxed a little as she smiled and nodded. Shadow let go of her and turned his attention to the stage once again. Amy smiled down at them and spoke, "As princess of Flora and… I suppose you could say, the Head Coach of the Chaos Control Program, I welcome you to our family!" The crowd went up in cheers and congratulations. Shadow looked to his right to see his brother getting pats on the back, though Lancelot was staring at Shadow with a smile on his face and pride in his eyes. When Shadow looked Amy, she raised her arms in the air to catch everyone's attention. Once everyone was quiet, she said to Shadow and Emily, "I am sorry to say, but… to become a true member… you need to give me your gloves."

Shadow's smile fell slowly. He replayed the words in his head and then once more to make sure she was correct. "What?" He asked her incredulously.

"Why?" Emily asked Amy. She clutched her hands close to her chest. Neither one of the two hedgehog's wanted to take off the only things that have been restricting their powers.

"To become a true member of our program you need to give away your gloves." Amy stated.

"But others of your 'family' wear gloves." Shadow insisted. He not only did not want to give away the things that were keeping his powers at bay, but his mother had given these to him. His mother who had died years ago. She gave them to him as not only a security, but as one of the few gifts he got from his parents. After the incident, his father basically ignored his existence and focused his attention on his older son. Only Shadow's mother forgave him. Even after Lancelot confessed, it seemed to only make his father resent Shadow more. The last words he spoke to Shadow were, "You are not my son, nor would I accept you. The only reason you are here is because you will leave."

"But they wear the gloves because they have graduated." Amy stated again. "Once you have completely controlled your powers, you get to have gloves back and wear them if they make you feel comfortable." She leaned toward Shadow and said, "You do get to have them back, but it will take time and patience."

Shadow still hesitated. Could he really do this? He heard rustling next to him and looked at Emily. She was shaking and slowly taking off one glove at a time. First, she took off her right glove, then her left and held them to her chest. It seemed as if she was debating with herself. She looked to the ground and muttered under her breath, "Chaos, help me." She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked to Amy. She stood straight and walked toward Amy. Once she was in front of her, Emily stared at her. Amy smiled and reached her hand out. Emily stared at her hand and hesitantly placed her gloves in Amy's palm. Amy smiled and said to her, "Welcome, princess."

Amy turned her eyes to Shadow, as did the rest of the room. He felt uncomfortable under everyone's gaze. Like everyone was judging him. If he didn't do what the program asked of him, his kingdom will be looked down upon. He stared at his hands, they were shaking. He was scared. He was _scared_. He hated that feeling of being small and insecure. _Would I?_ Shadow thought. He looked at Amy and thought to himself, _Can I trust you?_

Amy stared at Shadow. Shadow stared at Amy. The room stared at them. Everyone was silent.

Finally Shadow said, "I'll join. But I want you to guarantee that I will get my gloves back." His eyes bored into Amy's. He _needed_ them back.

Amy wore an expressionless mask. She seemed to be weighing the options. She finally nodded and held out her hand. "I promise you will get them back. But I will need them to give them back."

Shadow took a breath and looked at his hands. _I'll get them back, Mother._ With that silent goodbye, he slowly peeled them off his hands. It was strange to take them off. He only took them off when he slept, which he quickly got used to a frozen pillow. Once he finally took them off, Shadow glanced at Lancelot. He gave Shadow a small reassuring smile.

He took a deep breath and reluctantly, gave Amy his gloves. She smiled and held Emily's and his gloves in the air. She said, "We, the kingdom of Flora, welcome Prince Shadow and Princess Emily to our family!" The room erupted into cheers and hoorays. Shadow's heart beat with every cheer. He could feel the coolness of the ice on his hands as he fisted them at his sides. Another thing about parties was that they got him riled up. He was usually there long enough to have people notice him, then he left early.

Soon people were dancing and mingling. Shadow walked off the stage to a corner and hid behind one of the pillars. He took calming breaths and held his hands together. _Conceal, don't feel, don't let it show._ He thought. It was one of the few things his father had told him. It worked on some occasions. He hoped to Chaos it would work now.

"You okay there, champ?" Shadow looked to his right and saw Angel standing there. She was standing close to him, which caused Shadow to fall at her sudden closeness. As Shadow sat up, Angel gave a small chuckle. "Oops. Sorry, my bad. Some people say that I don't know the meaning of personal space."

"Yeah, no kidding." Shadow said in a sarcastic tone as he tried to get up. He tried to use his hands very little, but it was to no avail.

Angel giggled and said, "Allow me." With that, her tail grew in length and carefully wrapped around him. With little effort, she was able to lift him off the ground and set him on his feet. When she retracted her tail to its natural length, she introduced herself. "My name is Angel and I have the ability to lengthen my tail to unimaginable lengths."

Shadow straightened out his clothes before he spoke, "I'm Shadow."

"I know. I just wanted to hear you say it." She leaned in a little closer, studying his face, then spoke lowly, "You really are twins, huh."

It took a moment for Shadow to understand what she meant before he nodded. "Yes. Me and Lancelot are twins." He quickly put his hands behind his back and slowly walked backwards.

"Well. You must get called his name so many times." She followed his movements. When Shadow walked backward, Angel walked forward. "You can't tell me that you don't get peeved when that happens. It must get annoying after a while."

_All the freaking time._ Shadow thought. He couldn't count how many times he was called by his brother's name. At first when Shadow and Lancelot were really young, they would dress exactly the same to fool everyone. But even after the incident, the castle staff would get their names wrong. Only the older staff would know which brother was which. "It doesn't bother me much."

Angel rolled her eyes and said, "Alright. But you may experience it from me. I had to ask almost everyone if you really were Shadow."

This caused Shadow to raise his eyebrow. "Why would you need to question everyone? You saw me get on the stage, so you should have recognized me."

"I did, but then I lost you in the- Look out!" She lunged for Shadow, which caused him to fall.

Shadow fell onto the floor. When he looked up he saw the faces of Angel, Titan and his two escorts of Angel Island. "Are you alright?" Titan asked in his low, baritone voice.

"I'm fine." Shadow said, rubbing his head.

"I'm not!" A voice below complained. When Shadow looked down, he met Knuckles. The echidna was not facing him, but had his face angled toward the dance floor. "Get off me!" Shadow quickly stood as the escorts helped Knuckles to his feet. Once on his feet, he looked to his left and right and asked, "Who did that?"

"Me. Uh… Shadow. I am very sorry for what happened." Shadow started to reach out his hand to the echidna, but he remembered and took his hand back.

Knuckles seemed to take a deep breath before he said to the ground, "It is fine." But Shadow could see that he was reeling in some anger.

"Knux." Angel said over Shadow's shoulder. "We're over here." Knuckles looked to his left, away from the hedgehog and cat. "Other side, buddy." Knuckles then faced the two. "There you go. Look, Knux, it was an accident."

"I am aware that it was all an accident." He said through gritted teeth.

Shadow tried to reassure the echidna. "Knuckles. I truly am so-"

"I don't need your apologizes, okay!" Knuckles shouted at them. The party was silent for a still moment, before they went back to normal. But the small group was still silent.

"Knuckles." Titan said in a hushed voice. Knuckles' posture went from slouched to alert as he did look toward the older echidna. "Walk with me please." He put one hand on Knuckles' shoulder and led him away from the crowd.

"What happened?" Shadow asked quietly.

Angel sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Knuckles hated being apologized to. He has a temper and when it comes to people apologizing to him, he goes and gets upset." She led them to the food table where she began to pour them drinks. "It was because lots of people would learn he is blind."

Shadow looked to the echidna, who had his head bowed and listened to every words the chief said. "He is?"

"Yes. It can be quite obvious to some and others need hints to understand." Angel took a swig of her drink and handed Shadow his. "I'm surprised that you didn't notice before."

"I suspected something was different when he didn't make eye contact when I got here." Shadow replied, taking a sip of his drink. But he was met with cool glass. When he looked, his glass had frozen along with the contents. Shadow gasped and quickly set his glass back down and clasped his hands together. When Angel only raised an eyebrow, Shadow cleared his throat. "So… You were saying?"

Angel smiled slightly and said, "Knuckles can control the earth. He even claims of 'seeing' with the earth." Angel scanned the crowd. "It took him his first few months to learn the lay out of the kingdom. But eventually he got it and he learned of a few underground passages leading from the castle to the gates and some even led to the village." Angel finished her drink and began to walk away. She called over her shoulder. "Stay calm. Otherwise you'll send us to the Ice Age." She then approached her uncles from Estelle. They each gave her a hug and a kiss atop her head.

Shadow watched the party from his spot in peace. He wrung his hands together before he decided. _I'm done._ He crept along the walls and tried his best to stay in the shadows as he made his way to the hall. Once there, he sighed. The halls were dark except for the candles and the moonlight shining through the windows. He followed the halls to his room, all the while thinking, _This is my home now. I'm going to live here. I'm going to finally control my curse._

"Shadow!" He was broken from his thoughts when someone called his name. He stopped and turned to find Amy coming towards him. She had lifted her skirts to run better, but she was still panting by the time she arrived to him. She panted for a few moments, holding up a finger to Shadow so he could not move. When she stood up again, Amy gave a smile. "Where are you going? The party just started."

"I'm going to my room." Shadow stated and started to walk away. But a hand on his elbow stopped him before he took another step.

"Why? Is the party not to your liking?" Amy asked with a raised eyebrow. "I understand if you feel bothered by the ceremony, but it was necessary. I am sorry if you-"

"Please don't apologize." Shadow said quietly. He gently shrugged himself out of Amy's grip and took a step back to put distance between them. "It was a good party. Grand, even. I am just not comfortable at parties. Especially since…" Shadow slightly raised his clasped hands for her to see.

"Oh…" Amy seemed to put the pieces together. "Okay. I understand. You don't feel comfortable without them on." She looked into Shadow's eyes and said, "I know it must have meant something to you-"

"It was one of the few gifts my mother gave me." Shadow interrupted. He looked down and spoke lowly, "She died a few years ago."

"Oh…" Amy said quietly and looked down as well. "I am sorry for your loss." She apologized.

"It was not your fault. It was a storm out at sea." Shadow recalled. His last words his mother spoke to him were, "Listen to your brother and stay out of trouble. You'll be fine, Shadow." He attended his own funeral late at night and cried for hours before trudging back home early in the morning.

A silence hung between the two. The moon was still bright out and the candles were dim enough to only see a few feet of the floor. The colors were ominous with the lack of lighting and the sounds were no different. Finally, Amy delicately cleared her throat. "Well, if you really do wish to go to your bed chamber, then I shall take you there."

"You do not have to." Shadow insisted. "Besides, you will be alone when you go back to the ballroom. No, I will take you back and-" Shadow was cut off when Amy headed toward the direction of the rooms. He looked back and around before he groaned and eventually followed her.

Amy said, "Your luggage has been brought to the room and some added clothes were brought in as well. You will wake up at the height of sunrise where one of the boys will come to get you and bring you to the practice arena. We will start from there."

"What sort of practice will we be doing?" Shadow asked as they arrived at the room.

Amy turned to smile at him. "You'll just have to find out." She then left him in the middle of the hall way.

Shadow sighed as he watched her disappear behind a corner before he entered his room. He looked to the door and unclasped his hands. He stared at the handle before taking a deep breath and grasped it. Instantly, ice started to creep up the handle. This startled Shadow as he quickly opened the door and leapt inside. Once behind the closed door, he backed away from it. He took a few calming breaths before turning from the door and toward his bed. He sat at the edge and contemplated over what Amy said. "_You'll just have to find out." _He asked himself, _What did she mean? It was obvious I will have to work hard to succeed in this, but… It won't be too hard, will it?_ Shadow shook his head and took off his boots and shirt. He climbed into bed which started to cover the blanket with frost and turn the pillow to ice. His final thought was, _I will find out soon enough._


End file.
